


"Kondo and His Sons"

by lebedeinetraume



Category: Gintama, 銀魂 | Gintama (Live Action Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29373306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lebedeinetraume/pseuds/lebedeinetraume
Summary: Kondo comes into the hospital room to discover a tired Itou resting after a long night of watching over fellow Shinsengumi officer, Komoriya.  When Itou realizes that he fell asleep, he panics briefly until Kondo reassures him that everything is well, then Kondo proceeds to console Itou about his past and encourage him about the future.
Kudos: 1





	"Kondo and His Sons"

**Author's Note:**

> Komoriya is an original character of mine that I created from "Touken Ranbu". Komoriya is a tachi was forged in the sword temple during the Heian era and has found himself in the hands of various masters before he was stolen by a cruel master just after the Amanto took over Earth. He was betrayed by his master and spent many years in hiding in the sword temple until he ventured out to try and heal from his trauma. When Komoriya met Hijikata, he was eager to become one of his swords, which Hijikata reluctantly agreed to, but spent a great deal of time teaching Komoriya how to live life as a human more than as a sword. Komoriya trained hard to become an actual member of the Shinsengumi and loves his family. however his former master is still out there, looking to reclaim his lost sword. Outside of Komoriya, I own nothing.

A soft shaking of his shoulder roused Itou from his sleep and when he realized that someone had entered the hospital room and he hadn't immediately awoken, Itou jerked and made to grab at the person, ready to fight.  
  
"Steady... Kamotarou..."  
  
"Kondo-san!" Itou swallowed hard, surprised to see his superior right there but then regret filled him and he frowned deeply. "I fell asleep... I only intended to shut my eyes for a little bit but..."  
  
"Kamotarou, it's all right," replied Kondo with a gentle smile. He gave Itou's shoulder a friendly squeeze before he pulled back and ventured over to the chair that was next to Komoriya's bed. "If resting is helping you in your duty to protect Komoriya, that is perfectly okay."  
  
"But am I protecting him if I was so unaware of my surroundings that anyone could have walked in and murdered him before I could protect him?"  
  
Kondo gave a shrug of his shoulders and let out a sigh. "Who's to say, perhaps maybe? This room is being carefully monitored, Kamotarou; you don't need to take all of this on your shoulders. You got Hijikata to finally submit to taking a break from being here and getting some proper rest and nourishment, why can't you let me convince you of the same thing?"  
  
For a response Itou just frowned and he took his gaze to Komoriya, who was curled up on his chest. Kondo took the blanket that the pair had covered themselves with and made sure that it would be enough to keep Komoriya warm. He smoothed the blanket over Komoriya's shoulder, then softly touched his hair.  
  
Itou bit back his tears as he thought of how different things could have been had he not listened to Komoriya during the plot to take over the Shinsengumi. Back then, Kondo had been the enemy... another opponent to take down in the long list of those that Itou believed despised him. If only he had known sooner how Kondo truly felt about him and that he did have friends in the Shinsengumi he could have been happier sooner. All things considered though, Itou was certainly blessed and didn't wish to take any moment for granted. Unconsciously he wrapped his arm around Komoriya and held him just a bit tighter.  
  
"It's amazing that as we get older he remains the same on the outside," said Kondo thoughtfully as he looked from Komoriya to Itou.  
  
"Yeah, when I was eleven he looked as he does now, though back then, he definitely was afraid. I didn't recognize it really back then, but as an adult now, I see that same fear that he would try to hide from me. I knew he was being hurt by his master, but he wouldn't let me fight for him. Komoriya had said that he wanted me to grow up strong, to find happiness and to live as honestly as I could."  
  
Itou resisted the urge to run his fingers through Komoriya's hair as his heart swelled with emotion over the memories. "He became not just a mentor for that time, but also a brother. The time that he spent with me was one of the happiest times in my childhood. I wish that I had paid better attention to his words and his teachings instead of reflecting on the loneliness that I felt in his absence and how desperately I wanted to feel that bond again. Komoriya stood up for me and tried to help me make friends, though I think he saw how hard it was because it seemed like the better I got, the more my peers hated me. Komoriya stayed by my side though, even when he was taken away."  
  
He laughed softly as Komoriya stirred and found a new position to promptly fall asleep in. Itou gave Komoriya's hair a gentle brush with his fingers. "I'd fall asleep on him like this when I was a kid. At the end of summer he took me to a matsuri. He bought me so many snacks and things. He was the best friend and big brother that I always wanted and I thought that things could continue like that forever, but then the rain came and took Komoriya away. Komoriya wrote to me often, as often as his master would allow... and I responded whenever I could. Then the rebellion started, and Komoriya was taken to fight. His letters started but stopped. I begged for news about what happened to that famous Heian sword..."  
  
Kondo frowned, recalling Komoriya's struggle to remember what had happened during the war. His recollection was spotty and it was only through the help of others, even being at the sword temple, that he could fill those gaps in his memory. Even Itou had to help Komoriya remember the fun summer he had with Itou. It was staggering to Kondo to try and imagine just how much trauma Komoriya had endured during that war and his own murder to forget so much.  
  
"Then one day," Itou continued after a pause, "I had this dragon appear in front of me. He said that Komoriya had sent him to find me and to deliver the letters. The dragon said that it was a long flight to get here, but he was happy to do so. He gave me this bag full of letters that Komoriya had written but his master had refused to send. Some had been crumpled and one even looked torn. I wanted so much to save Komoriya from the war and from his master, but the dragon said that I was too little to do anything, but he admired my spirit and said that one day I would be a great samurai."  
  
Itou sighed and closed his eyes. "The letters stopped again and I didn't see the dragon for quite some time. I found where Komoriya's master was and confronted him, absolutely determined to challenge him in ownership of Komoriya. He laughed and didn't take me seriously until we fought. But it was as the dragon had said, I was too little and I was so blinded by anger that he was able to get to me, and no, he wouldn't show any mercy to a child. It was only then that he told me that Komoriya was dead, and he grabbed me and whispered in my ear that he had murdered Komoriya because he was a pathetic existence. Oh I was so furious! I didn't care that I was in pain, I fought him as hard as I could but ... everything went black. When I awoke, it was a new world for me. I had lost my one and only friend. I devoted myself to my studies and for all of the letters I had from Komoriya, they were taken from me and destroyed, but I managed to save a few."  
  
Itou wiped at his eyes and gazed down at Komoriya. "I'm not letting that man have him again, Kondo. I absolutely refuse to let Komoriya go back there. Hijikata respected Komoriya to let him make his own decision, but I can't let Komoriya do that again. I don't mean to make a life choice for him, but in this instance, I can't let him do that again."  
  
"None of us can, Kamotarou," replied Kondo with a smile. "And none of us will let Komoriya go back to him. His resignation won't ever be accepted by us, or even Matsuidaira I think. I wish you could have had a better childhood, Kamotarou, I really do. All of your past grief and suffering hasn't been in vain though. You're able to protect Komoriya now as you wished you could have back then. You've got many friends here and we all believe in you and we trust you."  
  
A weak smile came across Itou's trembling lips and he gave a hard sniff as more tears came.  
  
"We're all in this together, Kamotarou," Kondo insisted once more and he ruffled Itou's hair. "It's my turn to watch over Komoriya as he rests. You should try and get some sleep as well, since you do have a later night shift."  
  
Itou smiled weakly before he brushed away his tears. "Thanks, Kondo-san."  
  
Kondo laughed and sat back to watch over the pair as Itou drifted off to sleep once more with Komoriya resting quite comfortably against him.  
~~~*~~~


End file.
